Pneumatic breast-strap.



- PATENIED JUNE 6, 1905. G- T. HOWARD.

. PNEUMATIC BREAST STRAP.

- APPLIOATION IILED APR. 28, 1902.

' I INVENTOR C .T H'uwarfi.

' ATTORNEY w/msssss UNITED STATES Patented June 6, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE T. HOWARD, OF ROSEDALE, KANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JAMES O. MGVEY, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

PNEUMATIC BREAST-STRAP- SPEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 791,787, dated June 6, 1905.

Application filed April 28,1902. Serial No. 1O5,04=lI To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, OLARENon T. HOWARD, a citizen of the United States, residing in Rosedale, in the county of Wyandotte and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful-Improvement in Pneumatic Breast-Straps, of

p which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates to improvements in pneumatic breast-straps.

The object of my invention is to provide a breast-strap that is cheap to manufacture, eflicient in use, and in which the inflatingtube may be easily inserted or withdrawn therefrom.

My invention provides, further, means by which the inflatable tube may be securely retained in position, thus preserving the breaststrap in its proper form when in use.

Other features of novelty are hereinafter fully described in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, illustrative of my invention, Figure 1 is a'front elevation view of a form of my invention in which the body is made from a single piece of leather.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a blank, showing the form of the body when made from one piece of leather and before trimming. Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on the dotted line a Z) of Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is ,a cross-section taken on the dotted line 0 d of Fig. 6. Fig. 5 is a front elevation view of a modification of my invention in which the body is formed of two pieces, one piece and the securing-flaps being removed in this view. Fig. 6 is a front elevation View of this modified form of my invention. Fig. 7 is atop view of the same, showing the breast-strap deflated.

Similar characters of reference indicate similar parts.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 2, and 8, 1 indicates the body, preferably of leather and made in one piece, the two sides being arcuate in form, the ends being open and provided, respectively, with the projections 2, preferably an integral part of the body and forming the straps which connect the breast- 3, which are adapted to be folded over the open ends of the body and engage, respectively, the buckles 4, which are secured to the front side of the body. The inflatable inner tube 5 is formed, preferably, of rubber and may be constructed substantially like an inner tube of a bicycle-tire. The ends of the inner tube 5 are closed, and when the tube is placed within the body the ends may be folded back, as in Fig. 5. In order to inflate the tube 5, an ordinary inflating-valve 6 is provided on the forward side of the tube 5 and extends through an opening provided therein to the exterior of the body 1. In constructing the body of this form of my invention the two curved edges of the body are sewed together.

conforms to the interior shape of the body,

which is larger at the middle than at the end.

In the modification shown in Figs. 5, 6, and

7 the body is formed in two pieces with the two side edges sewed together. The front strip of leather in this form extends only to the extensions or projections 2. In other respects this modification is constructed like the form shown in the first three figures.

In operating my invention the inflating-tube is slipped into the body through one of the open ends. The flaps 3 are then made to engage the buckle 4, after which the tube 5 is inflated through the valve 6. The breast-strap may then be applied for its use in the ordinary manner, the extensions 2 being used to attach to the harness. By reason of the body Other modifications than the one shown may be employed while retaining the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A breast-strap comprising a hollow body having open ends, a flap at each end adapted to close the said open ends, means for securing the flaps in the closed position, and an inflatable tube located within the said hollow body, substantially as described.

2. Abreast-strap comprising a hollow body tapering towardthe ends, the ends being open, a flap at each end adapted to close the said end, an inflatable tube located within the said hollow body and adapted to-substantially ill the same when inflated, and means for securing the said flapsin the closed position, substantially as described.

3. In a breast-strap, the combination with the body of the strap com-prisi-ng'two parallel flat portions having their long edges secured together, the ends of said portions being open to admit an inflatable tube thereth'rough, of two flaps secured respectively to one portion of said body and adapted to be folded over the open ends of the bod-y, means provided on the other portion of the body adapted to engage the said flaps, and an inflatable tube located between the said two portions of the body, substantially as described.

4. In a breast-strap, the combination with the body of the strap comprising two parallel flat, portions having two opposite edges secured together, the other two edges being left free to admit between the two portions an inflatable tube, one portion of the body having its ends'projecting beyond the other portion and adapted to be secured to the remainder of the harness, of two flaps secured one to each projecting portion of the longer portion of the body and adapted to be swung over the free ends of the shorter portion of the body, means provided on said shorter portion of the body for engaging and securing the said free ends of the flaps, and an inflatable tube located between the two body portions, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CLARENCE T. HOWARD,

Witnesses:

WARREN D. House, G. V. DUVALL. 

